Winter Cup for Curraghmore

Press, 13 June 1977, Page 18

Winter Cup for Curraghmore

From G. K. YULE Nelson Curraghmore will finish his racing for the season with a start in the Rangiora Winter Cup next Saturday. He qualified for this event with a fine staying win at the expense of Life Member and Roseland Lord in the Caltex Gold Cup on the first day of the Nelson meeting on Saturday. Curraghmore began safely from 20m and was not far ;away after 800 m. He worked ;up closer to Roseland Lord, which was setting a moderiate pace, and remained in ■ the open from then on. He ’had only half a length to ! spare over Live. Member and (Roseland Lord but won quite j convincingly. ] “He’s a grand stayer and it didn’t matter that he was in the open for so long,” said his Rakaia ownertrainer, Ted Hooper, who also drove him.

A four-year-old gelding by ’Bachelor Hanover from Anjtonella, Curraghmore was I twice placed in the mud at Ashburton the previous week-end and in spite of those two strength-sapping runs he paraded looking quite fresh on Saturday.

Lady Estes, a winner at long odds at Ashburton, gave further emphasis to the depth of class among the three-year-old trotters when she outclassed her rivals in the Wakatu Handicap. Her time for the 2400 m being a respectable 3min 27.8 sec. She was always travelling! well for Colin de Fillipi and’ raced past Our One and; Master Brett close to home’ and won untested by more! than a length. A filly by Estes Minbar from Cee Jay, she is raced by Mr and Mrs Peter Cocks of Christchurch. She will race over 3200 m on the second day of the meeting and she will again be one of the better chances.